STREET MACHINE

MR PSI - in the July issue

 

 

 

Owner: Lyle Lemon

Car: 2002 VU ute

Engine: 416ci Chev

Induction: Twin Garrett GT47 turbos

Intercooler: Dry ice type

ECU: MoTeC M800

Power: 1713rwhp (Summernats 21)

Builder: Horsepower Factory

Photos: John Jovic

VF Valiant Makeover, Part 2!

And here is the beast in all its finished glory, what a transformation!

Wanna buy it? Look here
More of Simon's work here

VF Valiant Makeover, Part 1

Because we want to bring you the best of the best, most of the builds we cover in Street Machine are epic in nature, with lots of sacrifice, dollars and years of hard yakka. All fantastic, but that doesn't mean that you can't have fun and really achieve something with a quickie build. This makeover job by SM contributor Simon Major is an excellent example, as Simon explained to the troops on www.ozrodders.com:

"You know how you shouldn't buy things on impulse sometimes? We'll I did it and now I've got no fingerprints left and a lung full of sanding dust...

Ok, here's the background: My VEG Safari wasn't even finished and I was out on my wedding anniversary with the better half a couple of months back; after lunch and a movie we're heading home and she says "hey I think there's a Valiant down there for sale..." and points to a side street. Sensing a trap I proceeded with caution and replied with a wary "ok..".. "Do you want to go back and have a look?" she says. Now, here I am on my wedding anniversary with my wife asking if I want to (1) look at a Valiant for sale and (B) potentially spend money. I am scared and rightly so; so I hit her straight up and say "Is this a test" and she says "No, I want you to have a look, it might be half alright".

So we went back and I saw it was this red VF sedan. I remember the car from a few years ago and it used to be owned by a chick on the Southside. Straight up I'm trying to talk myself out of it as I've really been half-keenly chasing a VG ute to put away as a future project, which I'd really rather have if I'm gonna spend the coin: "It'll be a Slant, I don't want a Slant car" then stick my head under the front and its had a Hemi conversion. Damn it. "Oh its not an auto, it'll be a 3 on the tree, I don't want a column manual", I look inside and its a floor shift 4 speed. Fark. "The 7" jellybean mags look ok but the tyres will be rooted", Shite, they're nearly brand new. Last resort: "The paints shagged and it'll be full of rust" It has a small amount of rust in the lower rear 1/4s from a poor previous repair but the roof and bootlid paint are totally shagged with crowsfeet, but the rest of the paint just needs a good cut and polish.

The shell was a corker so I ring the guy who comes back while we're there, I find its a 245 on LPG/petrol with a new VH44 for the front discs, extractors, new exhaust, lots of new body rubbers, front and rear swaybars, neat interior trim and new carpet, mint dashpad and a 350 2bbl Holley. I get it started and it runs great. The bride gives me the double thumbs up and says "at least its not a boring colour like the rest of them!".

Next thing you know its home and I'm busy sanding again. The original plan was to respray the bootlid and roof and leave it at that, but matching the paint was a nightmare so it was out with the Hoover again for a full respray. Thankfully there was no real bodywork required so it was a simple rub back for the rest of it. The gumby boot and roof paint was that knackered that it came off quite easily.

As you can see by the photos, the McValiant tag comes from obvious styling cues, the yellow interior metal and engine bay will be replaced by black and red respectively asafp."

Monaro of the week

 

When I was a kid, our family car was an LH Torana. It was only a six, but was a bit of hottie, with some A9X spoilers, a set of Hustler rims, Yella Terra head and a SAAS tiller. The only thing that bugged me was the vinyl roof. I've never been a fan of those rust-collecting adornments ever since, but looking at this super-sweet HG Monaro GTS - shot at Big Al's Poker Runin Perth by Brian White, I reckon their time has come again.

FX vs Willys

 

Chris Hadgkiss's blown 302-powered Willys takes on Troy Fewings's small-block FX at Wakefield Park during the 2009 Street Rod Nationals. Holden fans will be pleased to learn that the FX kicked arse, but the Willys also towed a caravan up from Victoria, so lets just say they are both winners. We have more action from the Rod Nats - and some stunning photography from Peter Bateman - in our August issue.

Bastard theives

 

There have been plenty of pics posted around the web of the orange Model A Tudor that was stolen at Wintersun, but not so many of the HJ GTS Monaro that was also nicked in the same incident. The beast belongs to Graham and Rebecca Mounsey of Brisbane. "I've had the car for about four years, I bought it from my brother-in-law as a shell," says Graham. In that time, Graham treated it to a total rebuild and sweet paint job in Mandarin Red, minus the GTS stripes. He also dropped a 400ci Chev in the car - just a week before Wintersun. "I had an alloy 9in ready to go in it too, but since I cut it so close with the engine swap, I thought I'd leave the diff until after Wintersun," says Graham. The car rolls on a set of Centrelines, 15x8.5in on the rear and 15x7 on the back. If you have an information about the car, please contact the Gold Coast police.  

Tractor go BANG!

1950 Ford...SM July 2009

 

Owner: Paul Davey

Engine: Ford Motorsport 302

Trans: Tremec T5 Super Duty

Diff: 9in, 3.89:1

Suspension: Rod-Tech IFS (f), triangulated four-bar (r), Air Ride Shockwaves

Brakes: VS discs (f), XF discs (r)

Rims: Billet Specialties 17in

Body mods: Subtle, but extensive

Photo: Cristian Brunelli

SM Ford Legends

 

Got a young Ford fan in the family and need to educate the little tacker about life BP? (ie, before PlayStation). Buy 'em a copy of this and blow their minds with Howard Astill's Rock Solid II, Mark Sgaravizzi's 88NATS and my personal favourite, Gary Satara's OVAKIL coupe.

Model Car Sunday, WA

 

Model Car Sunday is less than a month away, so get cracking!